A bobcat is a wild cat that lives alone in North America. It is named for its short tail. The tail is about 4 to 7 inches long. The head and body are 65 to 105 centimeters long, not counting the tail. A bobcat weighs between 4 and 15 kilograms, which is 9 to 33 pounds.

A bobcat has tufts of fur on its ears. It has ruffs of fur at the sides of its face. Its fur is shades of tan and brown, with dark spots or stripes. Bobcats live in forests, mountains and brushland. Brushland is land with lots of bushes. Bobcats are good climbers.

Bobcats have strong senses of vision and hearing. They are busy mostly at dusk and dawn. Bobcats mostly eat rabbits and hares. They also eat squirrels, rats and mice. An animal that another animal eats is called prey.

A bobcat hunts by stalking its prey and then pouncing. Stalking means creeping up close. Pouncing means jumping. A bobcat can run up to 30 miles an hour. That is 48 kilometers an hour.

A bobcat sleeps in a hidden den, often in a hollow tree. A bobcat mother usually has two or three kittens at a time. The kittens are born with their eyes closed. They open them at about 10 days old.

Words to know

• brushland: bushy land
• dusk: early evening
• prey: food animals
• stalking: creeping closer
• pouncing: jumping on